Virginia Tech pounds Tennessee in bowl win

ATLANTA — Ryan Williams capped a brilliant first season with a record-setting game, running for two touchdowns to power Virginia Tech past Tennessee 37-14 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Thursday night.

The Hokies (10-3) took the lead with a field goal in the final seconds of the first half and outscored Tennessee 20-0 in the second half on their way to a sixth straight 10-win season.

The only team with a longer active streak is Texas with nine.

Williams, a redshirt freshman, had 117 yards rushing to become Virginia Tech's single-season rushing leader with 1,655 yards. Williams also set Atlantic Coast Conference records with 21 rushing touchdowns and 22 total touchdowns this season.

Tennessee's star running back, Montario Hardesty, could not keep up with Williams. The Volunteers' senior had 18 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. The Hokies outrushed Tennessee (7-6) 229-5.

Tennessee was hurt by two turnovers which led to 10 points for Virginia Tech, and a dropped pass that cost them a touchdown.

Rashad Carmichael intercepted a pass by Jonathan Crompton in the first quarter to set up Williams' first touchdown run. Crompton fumbled when sacked by Nekos Brown late in the fourth quarter. John Graves recovered at the Tennessee 13 to set up Matt Waldron's third field goal, a 22-yarder.

Virginia Tech players dumped a cooler of water on coach Frank Beamer seconds later. Virginia Tech fans in the sellout crowd of 73,777 cheered, and Beamer raised his fists in response.

Williams sat out the fourth quarter after an apparent left ankle injury. Virginia Tech fans cheered when Williams left the trainer's table and ran on the sideline, but Beamer gave the fourth-quarter carries to Josh Oglesby and David Wilson.

Wilson had a 3-yard touchdown run with 5:14 remaining.

Williams needed 109 yards rushing to pass Kevin Jones' school-record record 1,647 yards in 2003.

North Carolina's Don McCauley held the ACC marks with 19 rushing touchdowns and 21 total in 1970. Clemson's C.J. Spiller matched the total touchdown mark this season. Georgia Tech's Robert Lavette also rushed for 19 touchdowns in 1982.

Williams passed Jones with his seventh carry of an eight-play touchdown drive in the third quarter. He had long runs of 21 and 32 yards in the drive before setting the record on a 6-yard run to the 3.